A Hitokiri's Departure
by Beyond Doubt
Summary: The former shadow assassin resigns his position among the ranks of the Ishin Shishi as well as retires his steel blades to the Choshu commander, Kogoro Katsura.


**Disclaimer:** Rurouni Kenshin is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki. I claim no ownership over this wonderful series.

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**A Hitokiri's Departure**

By: Beyond Doubt

July 31st, 2012

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Blood sprayed from the open wound inflicted upon the warrior's broad shoulder. With a cry, he crumbled to his knees, fingers clenched around the dislocated limb that seeped crimson from amid the exposed crevices of his hand.

A shadowed figure stood over the body of his victim, amnethyst eyes hardening at the sight of the flowing red that trailed down the length of the soldier's arm.

It didn't take long before the cries of pain were silenced by the sword wielded by the flaming-haired demon. A slash followed by an audible thump to the blood-stained dirt revealed the man's unpleasant demise.

The swordsman closed his eyes and adjusted the purple shawl wrapped about the base of his neck. A lingering scent of haku baikou comforted the hitokiri's unsettled mind. The four day battle at Toba Fushimi had been won by the Imperialists, and at last, the Hitokiri Battousai could find reason to breathe again.

_The battle is over, Tomoe. Finally, the assassin's soul that dwells within me can begin to rest in peace. _

Slinging off the remainder of blood clinging to the steel blade, the katana was re-scabbard as the redhead took leave of the battlefield. Countless bodies lay littered across the scarlet ground. He averted his gaze away, a cold chill running up the length of his spine.

_So many innocent lives... sacrificed and taken during this crusade for the future of this nation, _he thought disdainfully. His hand closed around the hilt of the daisho held in the sash of his ragged hakama. He drew in the heady perfume stemming out from the lavandar fabric he pressed close to his nostrils.

He sighed inwardly. _Somehow, I will find a way to atone for these sins I have committed as the Battousai, Tomoe. I am determined to seek out a solution, even if it will be at the price of my life. _

The battlegrounds were long forgotten as the former shadow assassin walked on until he vanished amidst the swelling smoke of the Bakumatsu.

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"Who is there?"

The Choshu leader Kogoro Katsura looked expectantly to the still shoji seperating himself from the visitor standing outside of the door. He had been in the middle of finishing his meal when he heard the unexpectant knock coming from the door.

There was a pause before a low voice spoke up from the silence permeating the room, "It is Himura Kenshin."

The dark-haired man smiled softly. "You may come in, Himura-kun," he said.

The shoji slid partly open and the familiar short-statured hitokiri quietly stepped into the room, slipping the ricepaper door to a complete shut upon entry. "May I have a word with you, Katsura-san?" Kenshin asked politely, face grave but his tone betraying the unspoken apprehension he felt on the inside.

Katsura set aside the rice bowl clenched in the palm of his hand and placed his hands in his lap. He smiled calmly, hiding all personal concern for the assassin's well-being completely. "Take a seat," he invited, indicating the empty space in front of himself with a gesture of the hand. "Let me know what is on your mind, Himura-kun."

"Arigatou," murmured Kenshin, proceeding to position himself before the Ishin Shishi commander with a dip of his crimson head in gratitude.

Throughout the time of his return to the inn that night, the young hitokiri had been contemplating the words to say to his commanding officer on the matter he was dealing with in his mind. He had no clue what to say, fearing the man's reaction in hearing the decision he had come to agree upon with himself. However, Kenshin's growing frustration had driven him to turn up at the door of Kogoro Katsura.

Kenshin groaned inwardly, feeling foolish for showing up in his leader's room without a plan for what he would say.

_Now what? _Surely Katsura was beginning to wonder about what the hitokiri's intentions were for appearing out of the blue (not to mention while he had just been eating, too.)

Amber eyes lowered to the floor. Kenshin sought out his voice as he mustered the will to speak, "Katsura-san, there is... a matter that I must address to you, it concerns my occupation as the Hitokiri Battousai."

The Ishin Shishi commander's brows furrowed, curiosity apparent in his eyes. "Anything you need to say will not leave this room, Himura-kun," Katsura reassured the assassin. "Please, continue if you will."

Kenshin was slightly startled by the cool response he was receiving, but felt somewhat relaxed that Katsura would not hold anything he was about to say against him. "I cannot bring myself to go on as a manslayer anymore. I will be leaving behind my swords as well as my reputation as the Battousai." He stooped low to the ground, letting his eyelids shut in one fluid motion and the red locks of hair fall on either side of his cheeks. "If you will, please grant me the permission to take my leave of this place and begin my life anew, free of the bloodshed and chaos of this era."

Silence met the hitokiri's ears as he finished all he had to state to the Choshu leader. For long moments, the impending stillness settled in and Kenshin began growing worried.

_What if he refuses my wishes? _He wondered.

Eventually, he received a response from the man, feeling his heart rise into his throat with anticipation. Katsura smiled kindly but sadly as he replied, "It will pain me to see you go, Himura-kun. Are you certain this is the path in life you wish to take?"

Kenshin picked himself off the floor and nodded briskly. "Hai," he answered firmly. "I need to find a way to repent for all the lives I have taken, Katsura-san. With our first battle at Toba Fushimi being a successful victory, I can find no other reason to extend my stay here."

Katsura showed his understanding for the hitokiri's reasoning and did not push the man further. "You have my approval to do what you must in order to seek your answers," he said.

The redhead's eyebrows rose, the first sign of astonishment he had ever revealed in front of anyone since the first time he had arrived to join the Ishin Shishi. "Katsura-san..." Kenshin breathed. Katsura merely continued to smile.

Kenshin bowed lowly to the man he had known for a good amount of years as both a leader and a long-time friend. "Arigatou, Katsura-san..." He mumbled. "And... sayonara."

Owari

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**Authoress Note: **Whew! That took a good portion of my night to write, but I have to say that it was entirely worth it to get it finished. I'm proud of how it turned out, especially the beginning portion of the story. I've had a nagging feeling bothering me for days to write a fanfiction about Kenshin during his days as the Hitokiri Battousai and this idea happened to pop into my head at the precise moment I was in the progress of writing Chapter 4 of 'The Taste of Good Sake'. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. I've always wanted to write a story like this but never had the chance to or just wasn't in the right mood to get it all down. Reviews are greatly appreciated, so be sure not to be shy in telling me your thoughts :) Thank you.

-Beyond Doubt

**Quick Note: **This fanfiction is dedicated to Scarred Sword Heart. She/he is a wonderful author as well as a kind person who helped to answer a few questions I had about a certain portion of the Rurouni Kenshin manga. For that, I am truly grateful and could find no better way of thanking you then presenting you with this story :)


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